fear and prayer in cleveland: night three...

The most illuminating moment in last night's RNC 2016 extravaganza was when NY Times

columnist, David Brooks, asked Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council: what were the Christian values of character that Donald Trumps embodies that warranted evangelical Christian support? Perkins clearly wanted to dodge this verbal bullet - and tried to change the subject. But Brooks was animated and insistent. Eventually, after serious equivocation and fumbling, Perkins suggested that Trump's character celebrates Christian courage.  Then he quickly moved on to say that Trump has never been evangelical Christians first choice. That would have been Ted Cruz, the apocalyptic Pentecostal senator from Texas, who "blew up" last night's convention with his calculated refusal to endorse Trump.

Those with a sense of context may recall that Cruz entered the RNC with over 400 pledged delegates. He also continues to seethe over Trump's cruel and malicious defaming of both his father and spouse during the Republican primaries. So last night became an evening of pay back as Mr. Cruz exposed his vindictive and confusing theology to the nation while being Mr. Trump's convention guest. Clearly, Cruz does not believe that vengeance is mine saith the Lord (Deuteronomy 35:35 or Romans 12: 19) Rather, he holds fast to that mean-spirited and perverted understanding of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus that claims Christ's Cross as a sword destined to bring honor only to the American flag rather than the lost, wounded and broken. Cruz has no grasp of St. Paul's wisdom that the Cross is foolishness because it hides the Lord's truth to those addicted to power and glory.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.’ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.  For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

But I digress:  the volatility of the Cruz double-cross warrants its own reflection. What claims my

attention today is the narrow sense of "God's will" among so-called evangelicals who have come to cherish the gospel of wealth, power and security rather than the testimony of Christ. No wonder Mr. Perkins was squirming as he wracked his conscience for a way to link the character of Christ with that of Donald Trump. It is slim pickin's - check out this list of 49 examples of Christian character as compiled by the Grace Online Library - Mr. Perkin's reply doesn't even show up.

Character Qualities
Alertness vs. Unawareness
Being aware of that which is taking place around me so I can have the right response to it (Mark 14:38)
Attentiveness vs. Unconcern
Showing the worth of a person by giving undivided attention to his words and emotions (Hebrews 2:1)
Availability vs. Self-centeredness
Making my own schedule and priorities secondary to the wishes of those I am serving (Philippians 2:20–21)
Boldness vs. Fearfulness
Confidence that what I have to say or do is true and right and just in the sight of God (Acts 4:29)
Cautiousness vs. Rashness
Knowing how important right timing is in accomplishing right actions (Proverbs 19:2)
Compassion vs. Indifference
Investing whatever is necessary to heal the hurts of others (I John 3:17)
Contentment vs. Covetousness
Realizing that God has provided everything I need for my present happiness (I Timothy 6:8)
Creativity vs. Underachievement
Approaching a need, a task, an idea from a new perspective (Romans 12:2)
Decisiveness vs. Double-mindedness
The ability to finalize difficult decisions based on the will and ways of God (James 1:5)
Deference vs. Rudeness
Limiting my freedom in order not offend the tastes of those whom God has called me to serve (Romans 14:21)
Dependability vs. Inconsistency
Fulfilling what I consented to do even if it means unexpected sacrifice (Psalm 15:4)
Determination vs. Faintheartedness
Purposing to accomplish God’s goals in God’s time regardless of the opposition (II Timothy 4:7–8)
Dligence vs. Slothfulness
Visualizing each task as a special assignment from the Lord and using all my energies to accomplish it (Colossians 3:23)
Discernment vs. Judgment
The God-given ability to understand why things happen (I Samuel 16:7)

Discretion vs. Simplemindedness
The ability to avoid words, actions, and attitudes which could result in undesirable consequences (Proverbs 22:3)
Endurance vs. Giving up
The inward strength to withstand stress to accomplish God’s best (Galatians 6:9)
Enthusiasm vs. Apathy
Expressing with my soul the joy of my spirit (I Thessalonians 5:16,19)
Faith vs. Presumption
Visualizing what God intends to do in a given situation and acting in harmony with it (Hebrews 11:1)
Flexibility vs. Resistance
Not setting my affections on ideas or plans which could be changed by God or others (Colossians 3:2)
Forgiveness vs. Rejection
Clearing the record of those who have wronged me and allowing God to love them through me (Ephesians 4:32)
Generosity vs. Stinginess
Realizing that all I have belongs to God and using it for His purposes (II Corinthians 9:6)
Gentleness vs. Harshness
Showing personal care and concern in meeting the need of others (I Thessalonians 2:7)
Gratefulness vs. Unthankfulness
Making known to God and others in what ways they have benefited my life (I Corinthians 4:7)
Hospitality vs. Loneliness
Cheerfully sharing food, shelter, and spiritual refreshment with those whom God brings into my life (Hebrews 13:2)
Humility vs. Pride
Recognizing that it is actually God and others who are responsible for the achievements in my life (James 4:6)
Initiative vs. Unresponsiveness
Recognizing and doing what needs to be done before I am asked to do it (Romans 12:21)
Joyfulness vs. Self-pity
The spontaneous enthusiasm of my spirit when my soul is in fellowship with the Lord (Psalm 16:11)
Justice vs. Fairness
Personal responsibility to God’s unchanging laws (Micah 6:8)
Love vs. Selfishness
Giving to others’ basic needs without having as my motive personal reward (I Corinthians 13:3)
Loyalty vs. Unfaithfulness
Using difficult times to demonstrate my commitment to God and to those whom He has called me to serve (John 15:13)
Meekness vs. Anger
Yielding my personal rights and expectations to God (Psalm 62:5)
Obedience vs. Willfulness
Freedom to be creative under the protection of divinely appointed authority (II Corinthians 10:5)
Orderliness vs. Disorganization
Preparing myself and my surroundings so I will achieve the greatest efficiency (I Corinthians 14:40)
Patience vs. Restlessness
Accepting a difficult situation from God without giving Him a deadline to remove it (Romans 5:3–4)
Persuasiveness vs. Contentiousness
Guiding vital truths around another’s mental roadblocks (II Timothy 2:24)
Punctuality vs. Tardiness
Showing high esteem for other people and their time (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
Resourcefulness vs. Wastefulness
Wise use of that which others would normally overlook or discard (Luke 16:10)
Responsibility vs. Unreliability
Knowing and doing what both God and others are expecting from me (Romans 14:12)
Reverence vs. Disrespect
Awareness of how God is working through the people and events in my life to produce the character of Christ in me (Proverbs 23:17–18)
Security vs. Anxiety
Structuring my life around that which is eternal and cannot be destroyed or taken away (John 6:27)
Self-Control vs. Self-indulgence
Instant obedience to the initial promptings of God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:24–25)
Sensitivity vs. Callousness
Exercising my senses so I can perceive the true spirit and emotions of those around me (Romans 12:15)
Sincerity vs. Hypocrisy
Eagerness to do what is right with transparent motives (I Peter 1:22)
Thoroughness vs. Incompleteness
Knowing what factors will diminish the effectiveness of my work or words if neglected (Proverbs 18:15)
Thriftiness vs. Extravagance
Not letting myself or others spend that which is not necessary (Luke 16:11)
Tolerance vs. Prejudice
Acceptance of others as unique expressions of specific character qualities in varying degrees of maturity (Philippians 2:2)
Truthfulness vs. Deception
Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts (Ephesians 4:25)
Virtue vs. Impurity
The moral excellence and purity of spirit that radiate from my life as I obey God’s Word (II Peter 1:3)
Wisdom vs. Natural Inclinations
Seeing and responding to life’s situations from God’s frame of reference (Proverbs 9:10)

Another conservative Christian, Chris Gilmore, is equally challenging to both the so-called Religious Right and the reductionist religion Mr. Trump articulates in his Huffington Post article: "What If God DOESN'T Want America Great Again?"  (check it out @ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/what-if-god-doesnt-want-to-make-america-great-again_us_578b037be4b0e7c873504a05)

Have we become so attached to our stuff that we are certain God wants us to keep it? Have we become so accustomed to having a vote that we assume that’s how God orders the world? Are we so desperate for security that we are willing to compromise our most basic values to acheive it? And so opposed to our enemies that we are confident God hates them as much as we do? If so, we are misguided. These things do not line up with the Gospels where I learn of a Jesus who says to welcome the stranger, forgive extravagantly, give radically, and do not resist an evil person (and love them instead). A Jesus who erases cultural and political and religious divisions. Jesus who flat out says, “Whoever wants to be great needs to become a servant of everybody else.” But we have little time for that sort of greatness. “Be A Servant” isn’t an attractive campaign slogan.

Years ago the once Religious Right claimed that American liberal Christians had abandoned the gospel of Jesus Christ for the idol of political correctness. That still takes place from time to time and it would be disingenuous to argue otherwise. But at the core of being PC is not idolatry or even tolerance. It is  compassion. As Krista Tippett writes in Becoming Wise, many of us settled for the word tolerance 50 years ago but it was too small a word for the tasks of our generation We need tenderness and sacrificial love. We need truth telling and hope in the midst of hatred. We need a vision of God's love that is greater  than the bottom line of the daily stock market updates or the ugly, half-baked and ill-informed stream of consciousness theological ramblings of a bully who can barely complete a full sentence.

Now is not the time to be timid - never cruel, but not shy about the mystery of the Cross either - so please don't give Trump, Perkins, Gingrich or Ingraham a pass on their rants. Call them out when they try to wrap the Cross in the flag. Call them out when they claim support of LGBTQ rights while actually opposing them for decades. Call them out for claiming to be pro-life only when that life is in the womb. Call them out for trying to paint Mr. Trump's character with that of the servant Christ. Call them out for crying peace, peace when many of their policies are out for blood. 

fear and prayer in cleveland - night two...

Last night as I watched round two, I posted on Facebook:

Two thoughts come to mind:

1) Republicans are only united in their hatred of Mrs. Clinton; they do not value or celebrate Mr. Trump, they have a pathological fear of Hilary and so they are building a campaign of hatred not hope.

2) The old rational Republicans are mostly absent from this convention. Say what you will about the Bush clan, they had values you could count on. They were fundamentally kind-hearted even when many of us disagreed with discrete programs. Even John McCain refused to show up for this hate-fest - and that speaks volumes to me. And don't forget Gov. Kasich and Senator Portman.This is the hour for compassion not hatred, a time for listening not shouting in fear or anger, binding one another together in hope rather than polarizing people of good will or putting us to sleep with platitudes. I am very disappointed with the ugly non-vision this convention continues to perpetuate.

This morning I can't help but not that one of the astonishing features of the RNC 2016 for me is the "reality TV" feel to nearly everything that happens:  from the over-the-top rhetoric to the crude and rude personal testimonies, ginned-up Hilary bashing and "the Donald's" back-lit appearance to introduce his wife, this increasingly looks like a Jerry Springer show with guest cameos. Most "speakers" have wisely been constrained to rants under five minutes. Not only does this guarantee there will be time for the main event in prime time each night, but most of us watching from home can only tolerate so much malarkey - so the show's producers try to run a tight ship.

Last night, however, procedural events bogged things down so the first 30 minutes were a total

bust. We did hear audible "booing" from the delegates - twice - when Mitch Mcconnell  took the stage as if he were a WWF character. Then the attorney general of Arkansas did a cornpone schtick about women, guns and Jesus who are ready to kick Hilary Clinton's butt.  The Donald made another appearance last night - this time via video from Trump Towers - assuring us he would be there tomorrow and Thursday. And the Trump children, Tiffany and Donald, Jr., shared comments with us about why they see their dad as a great man. Ms. Trump, thankfully honest and poised on camera, carried herself like a contestant on MTV's "Next." Her oddly flirtatious style of speaking may be generational, but it felt like reality TV contrivance. And Mr. Trump, Jr was out for blood - HRC's blood - so rather than offer personal anecdotes about his father, he took on a televangelist persona in a speech designed to move traditional Republican conservatives.

The most troubling speaker - and the weirdest moment (so far) - came when Dr. Ben Carson suggested that Hilary Rodham Clinton was a devil worshipper. He did this deftly:  Mrs. Clinton admired Saul Alinksy. Alinsky wrote a book called Rules for Radicals. (cue the booing!) On the dedication page to Rules for Radicals (more booing) Alinsky celebrates Lucifer as one who challenged the status quo and won his own kingdom. (audible gasps of fear and loathing) So Clinton is in league with the devil for her own radical kingdom.  Clearly, Dr. Carson was clueless about Alinsky the smartass writing in a 1960s groove. Don't clutter my mind with context and facts: I already have my opinions!

Last night was supposed to be about making America work again - an emphasis on the economic ideas of the Trump campaign - but save Donald Jr's words and a few throw away lines by Paul Ryan about the economy, everything was slanted towards hating Mrs. Clinton in the most personal and vile way. Chris Christie even staged a mock trial with the crowd joining in as vigilantes shouting:  GUILTY. LOCK HER UP!  Another red meat moment for those who have already consumed far too much loathing. 

I can't help but see two reality TV truths taking place at the same time in Cleveland:  first, there is a great effort being given to blood lust and vitriol here; and second, beyond the hate, no body seems to be paying attention to the mechanics. Clearly, Mrs. Trump's handlers were asleep at the wheel when she chose to discard her professionally written speech and replace it with plagiarized clips from Mrs. Obama's speech from 2008. Where were the fact checkers when the RNC printed program published lies about Mrs. Trump's academic career (she didn't graduate, but dropped out after one year.) Who is in charge of keeping the delegates on task? And boring, procedural haggling out of prime time?  Where, in fact, are the people who are supposed to be seated in the upper deck of the auditorium? That place looks mostly empty most of the time.

fear and prayer in cleveland: night one...

As I watched night one of the RNC on PBS (that already betrays some of my biases, yes?) I felt

compelled to write of FB:

I despise the smug, elitist disdain so many liberals feel free to trumpet against Trump and his ilk. At the same time, the conservative addiction to hating Clinton and fear/anger-mongering that is on display right now is equally repulsive. This is going to be grim. People of faith need to call out the hatred, clearly lay claim to truth and justice beyond ideology and redouble our commitment to making clear the stark differences between these candidates. Be vigilant, beloved, wise as serpents and gentle as doves.detesting this candidate is arrogant or elitist.

Later in the evening I was called to clarify what I meant by elitist and arrogant. It has nothing to do with opposing one camp or another. I replied:

There are a hundred good reason to find Mr. Trump cruel, dangerous and deceptive. I do in spades. What IS arrogant and elitist is belittling him, slandering him with cheap insults and defaming the very real pain and loss that those who support him feel profoundly. Insults are not critique; they are lazy acts of veiled privilege. Let's call him out on his not so crypto-fascism. His pandering to white supremacists. His manipulation of a broken immigration system. And Islamaphobia. At the same time, let's not deny or excuse the very real failures and blind spots of Mrs. Clinton, whom I prefere given this context, and have supported for a long time without illusions.

At the close of the programming, three thoughts gnaw at me:

+ First, as David Brooks said better than most, tonight's speakers were carefully scripted to

evoke the loss of very real, everyday people - and they did this effectively. To be sure, they were rude and sometimes crude. They waved the bloody shirt and spoke in vulgar ways that are always present in politics but rarely celebrated during prime time TV. These are hurting times - not nearly as horrible as the Trump camp wants us to believe - but also not as sanitized as liberal elites once thought. A week ago, PBS commentator Mark Shields confessed that with the election of Barack Obama he was certain the USA had crossed the racial divide and we would enter into a post-racial era of cooperation. How out of touch is that? Within months of Obama's election, the Tea Party was making race hatred a visible national story again. And the vicious, racist venom that had been below white radar returned to our political discourse. Trump has figured out how to not only market this vitriol, but make it mainstream. To have the first speaker of the night come from the Duck Dynasty crowd is just as careful a symbol as Ronald Reagan announcing his presidency from the Neshoba County Fair grounds outside of Philadelphia, MS. This campaign is ALL about reclaiming privilege.

+ Second, Rudy Giuliani was out for blood - and a position in the Trump cabinet. He was ALL red meat and attack dog. There was no vision of how to heal America except beat back all those with differing opinions from his. It was post-9/11 jingoism on steroids. Mr. Giuliani got the crowd on its feet. He had them chanting "off with their heads" like something from a Roman gladiator bread and circus colosseum.. And it was all mindless testosterone, vegnance and let's return to the scapegoating unity we felt immediately after September 11th. Again, Brooks noted that for those who need to nourish fear and anger, the events of the past few weeks have been collaborating in terrify ways. Thank God for the circle of love around the city of Cleveland: it was the only holy alternative narrative in an otherwise bleak news cycle.

+ Third, Mrs. Trump was a let down who wasted her chance to help us see something that

looked like a human being we might like in the Donald. She was well scripted and read her lines well for one who doesn't speak in public and had to do so in another tongue. But there was nothing personal or real in her commentary: just bland macho platitudes spoken by a devoted fashion model spouse about how hard, tough and relentless her husband is about winning. The crowd was generous, but the speech was a bust. Truth be told, I kept thinking: she is lovely, committed and even courageous but there is nothing happening in her remarks.

I watched tonight as an exercise in civic responsibility and prayer. One of my old seminary buddies posted earlier: Will the RNC 2016 become Nuremberg 1035 or Chicago 1968? That is one of the right questions. Another old colleague, currently the President of Rochester Theological Seminary, wrote:

At times like these when the world seems to be at its darkest it is essential that our faith in Christ shines forth at its brightest level. Whatever we say or do about the hateful and hurtful events occurring around us in this country and abroad, we must always remain faithful to the core teachings of Jesus. This is no time for foolishness and frivolity in the pulpit. This is a time for prophets to rise and for God's message of Justice, love, mercy, and grace to be declared. Many people will be protesting many things over the next two weeks. I hope the words of the gospel can be declared and heard above the shouts and chants of the moment. The prophets always began by saying "Thus says the Lord." Preachers, please don't step outside of your authority and become just another news commentator. Tell the world what the Lord says.

I believe the Lord calls us to justice, compassion and truth-telling. I believe that the Cross shows us from the perspective of the wounded what it looks like when we scapegoat another to make ourselves feel safe and superior. I believe that the forces of fear were well organized tonight and preyed upon the pain and loss of people much like many in my own family. I believe that God's way is in compassionate solidarity with the broken, forgotten and despised - not a blind alliance with wealthy fear mongers.  And I believe that there was a carefully scripted spectacle of race hatred and Islamaphobia presented as mainstream options because they were cloaked in a none too subtle jumble of pseudo-patriotism and Christian faith. 

I will keep on watching - and praying - and calling out the hatred: it is too important not be be engaged.

summer worship series: on being - la vie commence ici!

NOTE:  Here are my worship notes for this coming Sunday, July 17, 2016. I will be

using Krista Tippett's new book, Becoming Wise, as a guide for the next six weeks. It is very insightful and makes sense for those interested in real hope and compassion in our wounded and broken world.

Introduction

During part of our vacation, Dianne and I spent a week in Ottawa, Ontario – a truly lovely and humane city – where we took in a portion of the Ottawa Jazz Festival.  It is much smaller than its more famous cousin in Montreal and that’s why we have fallen in love with it:  it is music and hospitality shared on a human scale that doesn’t overwhelm.  It is a small is beautiful venue where both performers and concert-goers never lose touch with the fragility and splendor of human beings creating something lovely and unique together.  As one of our favorite Quebecois pianists, Maryanne Trudell, said about her most recent jazz composition:  “La vie commence ici!” Real life begins right here and right NOW!

That’s what all three readings from the Bible point towards, too:  la vie commence ici.  All we have been given by God is just this moment.  We can choose to embrace it or waste it – knowing that there will always be consequences to our choices.  Abraham and Sara chose to feast and laugh with God’s messengers even in their old age – and new life came into being.  Mary and Martha have to make comparable choices in the presence of God’s messenger Jesus – and Martha slips into her old habit of distraction and worry even while she aches to be hospitable – causing her nothing but sadness and resentment.  Even the Psalmist sings of practicing living in the moment with gentle hospitality when she asks: who will sojourn in your tent, O Lord, and who will dwell upon your holy mountain?

All religions urge us to cultivate a willingness to joyfully share the bounty of God’s creation with tenderness and respect. In this we not only become like the Lord our God, but we advance God’s kingdom in real time and flesh.  Lauren Winner, New Testament professor at Duke University, once wrote:

Christians and Jews hold in common one theological basis for hospitality:  Creation. Creation is the ultimate expression of God's hospitality to His creatures. In the words of a rabbi:  everything God created is a "manifestation of His kindness. [For the] world is one big hospitality inn." Church historian Amy Oden noted that, "God offers hospitality to all humanity... by establishing a home.. for all." To invite people into our home (and hearts) is to respond with gratitude to the God who made a home for us.

To be blunt with you, beloved, I can’t think of anything more important at this moment in my life – in the life of this congregation – and our national existence than the renewal of sacred hospitality shared in the spirit of tenderness and hope. Whether we’re thinking about Alton Sterling and Philando Castile who died in the hands of police officers in Baton Rouge and Falcon Heights, MI or, the five active duty cops who were ruthlessly gunned down in Dallas by a domestic terrorist, the signs of our times are clear:  we have lost touch with how to turn our experience of God’s love into acts of healing hospitality that bring hope and safety to kindred flesh and blood.  I sense that too often we let ourselves become like Martha in the presence of Jesus:  too worried and distracted to advance peace and compassion. 

So let me share a story with you about our last night in Ottawa – and a little Biblical background, too – and we’ll see where this leads us, ok? I’m rather fond on the way the late Henri Nouwen described Christian hospitality:  only those who have discovered God at the center of their own lives can receive a stranger on her or his own terms.  Only those who have become quiet and at rest within, can welcome the other in the real world with true affection.

Insights

On July 4^th Dianne and I spent a few hours with the L’Arche Community in Ottawa.  For those in the know, I have long been attracted to L’Arche and their ministry of presence with people with intellectual disabilities. L’Arche was founded by Jean Vanier in 1964:  after a career in the navy and studying philosophy in a doctoral program, Vanier, the son of a Canadian diplomat, still felt as if his life was empty. He was outwardly successful, physically powerful and reasonably wealthy, but like the old song asks:  Is this all there is?

During an extended spiritual retreat Vanier was encouraged by a priest to help out in a home for those with intellectual disabilities – and before the year was over, he had taken two of the patients out of the asylum and into a small house where he could care for them personally.  He, too, began to comprehend that: “La vie commence ici!” Live begins now! Living with Raphael and Philllipe, men who had been wounded in their minds and psyches when they were very young, brought Vanier into a new intimacy with Jesus.  “I began to understand a little better,” he wrote, “the message of Jesus and his particular love for the poor in spirit and the impoverished and weak ones of our society… They have shown me what it is to live simply, to love tenderly, to speak in truth, to pardon, to receive openly, to be humble in weakness and to accept handicaps and hardships with love.They have revealed Jesus to me.”  In the despised and rejected, Vanier found a new way of living into hospitality and a new way of making Christ’s love real in his world  And now there are over 144 L’Arche communities throughout the world. Vanier likes to say that the L’Arche experiment puts into action the virtues and values Jesus spoke about in the Sermon on the Mount.  And I have long wanted to see what this love looked like in person. 

So, we went to a community meeting at 7 pm on July 4^th – and it was a gas. There were about 60 people in the community room – residents ,who are living with their various intellectual disabilities, alongside their personal assistants and a cadre of volunteers.  When we arrived some folks were helping a wheel-chair bound woman out of public transportation, so we went through the front door and immediately found ourselves created by Henri who smiled broadly at us, shook my hand vigorously and said, “SO good to see you – tell, how are you, buddy?”  Man, I was just knocked on my butt with blessing by his embrace and it kept getting better.

To be honest, I was a little nervous about going to L’Arche because I had done some custodial work in an institution in my early 20s.  It was not easy work and the very challenging differences in ability and appearance sometimes frightened me.  I was a little anxious because back in that home I had been attacked and thought my head was going to be cracked open as a very upset young man pounded me against the concrete floor. But Henri just took me under his wing and ushered us into the gathering like we were long lost companions.  Same was true with Robert, another resident who went out of his way to introduce us as his new friends.  There was lots of French alongside English, lots of hugs and handshakes and to tell you the truth, it felt like a party.

When it came time for new guests to introduce themselves, Dianne and I stood up and said a few words – along with a few others – and we were applauded just for showing up. Then we sang songs, stood and held one another’s hands for the Lord’s Prayer – en Francais, I might add – and prayed for one another before the business meeting started.  As the community met, we spoke with a few others who simply affirmed in our short visit that this was the real deal:  no worries or distractions, just a whole lotta love in the moment.

At dinner a few hours later Dianne said, “I have never seen you look so beatific. You are radiating and beaming.”  And all I could do was weep – tears of joy and gratitude, for sure – but also a few tears of sorrow for how rare such bold, healing and hope-filled love like that is in our world.  So imagine my surprise when we came home and I saw that the stories assigned for today we ALL about sharing God’s healing hospitality! 

It caused me to go on a search for a quote from the Henri Nouwen, who also spent the last 10

years of his life at L’Arche Toronto, that says:  “Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.”

It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment. It is not an educated intimidation with good books, good stories, and good works, but the liberation of fearful hearts so that words can find roots and bear ample fruit….The paradox of hospitality is that it wants to create emptiness, not a fearful vacuum, but a friendly emptiness where strangers can enter and discover themselves as created free….not a subtle invitation to adopt the life style of the host, but the gift of a chance for the guest to find his or her own way in the world.

That’s part of what’s missing in our contemporary culture: the willingness to be surprised by grace. To take the risk of creating open, empty and free space where we might discover new beauty – even friendship and love – among former strangers, don’t you think?  We want it all buttoned-down, figured-out, bought and paid for, not a sojourn with Jesus along the road filled with who knows what or whom?

+  Think of Abraham and Sarah:  by the time we get to their story in Genesis, they have new names and a new direction in life, but they are still chronologically old.  God has assured both of them that they will give birth to a child, but being 100 years old they were highly dubious.  That’s why Sarah laughs when the angels disguised as travelers come seeking hospitality at their tent and promise progeny:  Yeah, sure, a baby at my age?  But… stranger things have happened, yes?  So when their new son is born they call him, Isaac, which means “God has brought me laughter.”  They were willing to be surprised.

+ And here’s something else:  both Abraham and Sarah go the extra mile when it comes to hospitality. Yes, it was a legal obligation to offer a stranger food and rest, wash and drink, but even in the heat of the day, they put on a feast:  Sarah cooks up a storm and Abraham plays the gracious host – and there is no grudging fellowship in this tent. This is a full-fledged feast.

There’s a clue and a take-away for us:  the willingness to be surprised, and, a commitment to feast rather than play it safe and cheap.  I think that’s part of what Jesus tries to tell Martha when the Master shows up at their home in Bethany outside of Jerusalem.  Both sisters are kind and this story should never just be a comparison between one who is active and the other who contemplative. Both are critical virtues to nourish. No, what is at stake here how much Martha frets in distraction and worry about her obligations.  She doesn’t enjoy being hospitable. She doesn’t evoke much rest or open space either; so it is no wonder that Jesus said, “Come on, girl, take a break and sit down and get centered for a while like your sister. She isn’t better, but her way of being in the world is… she has chosen the better part while you complain and get tied up in resentments.” Bible scholar, Elizabeth Johnson, writes:

Martha’s distraction and worry leave no room for the most important aspect of hospitality -- gracious attention to the guest. In fact, she breaks all the rules of hospitality by trying to embarrass her sister in front of her guest, and by asking her guest to intervene in a family dispute. She even goes so far as to accuse Jesus of not caring about her (Lord, do you not care…?)

Our culture is so tied up in knots – and afraid of one another – that it often looks to me like it is easier to kill our neighbors than host a feast for them.  I have shared this with you before, but a poem the late Erma Bombeck wrote after discovering she had a fatal illness strikes me as timely:

If I had my life to live over, I would have talked less and listened more. I would have

invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth. I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed. I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains. I would have cried and laughed less while watching television - and more while watching life. I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband. I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day. I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime. Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle. When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner." There would have been more "I love you's".. More "I'm sorrys" .. But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute... look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back.

Conclusion

From my vantage point, ALL the law and the prophets, the psalms and gospels, too urge us to seize the moment and live into it fully:  la vie commence ici, indeed!  That’s why over the next six weeks of summer worship, I will be using a new book by Krista Tippett to help us reclaim ways of embracing the present moment in our ministries of hospitality and compassion.  Her text, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living is a gem – so maybe you’ll want to read it along with me. Together we’ll see how it amplifies or challenges the Bible readings for each week and offers living, practical examples of how to honor the blessings of mindfulness in the 21^st century.  After worship each week, I would like to spend a little time having a conversation with you about any questions or concerns, too, ok?

One of the truths that Tippett articulates about the quest for wisdom in real life is that there is only one constant among wise people throughout the ages: they all let themselves be surprised by the events of reality. They don’t resent them. They don’t oppose them. They don’t deny or hide them, they just accept the surprises – and cultivate a sense of humor in the moment - even when life spins out of control.

So like Abraham and Sara and Jesus and Mary in today’s readings, I thought we too might practice a little bit of surprise together in a fun way that lets us enjoy being in one another’s company even as we pursue the blessings of being fully present in this moment.

Now what we’re going to do is silly – it has no biblical precedent or profound theological point except to help us be fully awake in community for a moment.  So I want us to try to sing three very different songs, from very different cultures, all at the same time. Dianne tells me that when she and her sisters were young, they learned to sing When the Saints Go Marching In combined with both Swing Low, Sweet Chariot AND a French folk song called Dominique about St. Dominic.

Many of you already know When the Saints and Swing Low – we’ll practice them right now as a refresher – then we’ll put them all together with Di and myself singing Dominque:  NOT because we have to, NOT because it is deep and transformative but SIMPLY because it would be fun to do this all together in the spirit of community – and when we are having fun together as God’s people, we are fully alive and present in this moment.  That’s one of the ways we become more tender in sharing hospitality, you know?  By creating, enjoying, experiencing and loving space, we create a little oasis of blessing amidst the fear and pain of real life.  So let’s give this a shot…

Oh when the saints, go marching in, oh when the saints go marching in: 

O Lord I want to be in that number…

Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home; 

swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home

Dominique, nique, nique s’en allait tout simplement, routier pauvre et chantant
En tous chemins, en tous lieu il ne parle que du bon Dieu
Il ne parle que du bon Dieu

2016 is NOT 1968...

For the past week various pundits have called up memories of 1968 while speaking about the mood of contemporary America.  A similar thought passed through my mind as reports from Dallas started, but I sense the comparison is too facile to be useful. There was a greater innocence throughout our culture in 1968 that has long since given up the ghost in 2016. Yes, we are entering an era of awareness about what is at stake in contemporary American race, gender and class politics that has parallels some of the challenges of the late 60's. But the American soul is far more cynical today than it was then. Indeed, too many of us have become inured to a level of social violence that would have been scandalous in 1968 to say nothing of a disdain for the common good that is normative.  Remember, Dr. King was still advocating and organizing for the "Beloved community" when his life was snuffed out in Memphis. Today, even the sound of this call to commitment sounds naive for the best we can hope for is a respite in the carnage.

In 1968, Sly and the Family Stone were inviting us - black and white and everyone else - to "Dance to the Music." The Beatles were singing "Hey Jude" and Paul Mauriat ruled the airwaves with "Love is Blue."  Joan Didion got it right when she noted in The White Album that like the Beatles themselves, our world was starting to spin apart - especially after the Manson murders. But she was only able to comprehend this in hindsight. In the moment, we were still "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" with the late Otis Reading,  "Feelin' Groovy" with Simon and Garfunkel, dancing to Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," toking up with Janis and the Holding Company to "Piece of My Heart," and going wild with Jeff Beck's "Truth." The Stones released "Beggars Banquet" and the world was becoming more intense with dreams for peace, love and happiness. The Chambers Brothers were on fire with "Time Has Come Today."

That is clearly NOT the groove in 2016:  music, politics, popular culture, religion, economics and the quest for gender  justice are polarized to the breaking point. There is profound mistrust of the police in 2016 as 50 years of racial injustice breaks through white denial given the ubiquity of social media. Our Anglo population is bewildered that the election of Barack Obama did not initiate a post-racial America and continues to insist that ALL lives matter even as black blood flows in our streets. A staggering number of white people now celebrate "the Donald" as a viable alternative to the status quo even as he retweets white supremacist images and ideology.  And no one speaks about faith, hope and love as a shared political agenda in 2016. The best we can muster is that Secretary Clinton - a noble but deeply flawed candidate - is less ugly than Mr. Trump. 

I was listening to The Roots' while painting my living room earlier this week and thought: these brothers have been keeping the dream alive.  But they are preaching/singing to the choir. So, for those in denial, maybe 2016 feels like 1968. But it is much, much worse. And, at the same time, holds the possibility to make changes that are much, much better if we listen to the wounds and pain of our 21st century streets - and reclaim the invitation of love.

wise as serpents and gentle as doves...

Shortly before I left on vacation, I found myself in conversation with a 20-something, white man about progressive politics, American race relations and the role of community organizing in challenging the status quo.  We both agreed that the only way the so-called "Sanders revolution" was going to matter beyond the Democratic convention in July was:  a) if the campaign organizers were able to formalize relationships between the new, young voters and a cadre of committed professionals who could be counted on to mobilize their base; b) if the leadership of Sander's camp chose strategic links with the Democratic Party; and c) if the whole loosely organized coalition found common ground with people of color. To date, it doesn't look like they have made much progress on any of these fronts.

Yes, Cornel West has been bold and poignant in his critique of the traditional Democratic positions on Palestine and Israel. To be sure, Robert Reich has been vigilant using social media to raise important issues inspired by Sanders. And of course many optimistic liberals are hoping that the young voters deliver in November what they promised during the primaries. But there is no driving organization to turn wishful thinking and dreams into deeds. So, my hunch is that like the Brexit vote documents, unorganized voters will waffle and fold when they are needed most. There is simply no evidence that the Sanders' mojo can be energized beyond the level of emotion.  That is always the case in these settings:  there is tremendous energy on the surface that leaders confuse for depth and discipline.

As our conversation matured, the young man and I lamented this reality - not the inspiration behind the Sanders effort as that resonates with Dr. King's call to "the Beloved community" - but the woeful naivete that persists in too many progressive movements for social change. As I have noted before, such foolishness does not define the Clinton camp - they know how to get things done and make incremental, lasting change - which too many Sanderites label "selling out." 

So, a month later - after Orlando and yet another wave of police violence on young, black men - I am wondering how a coalition of self-interest might be facilitated between Black Lives Matter activists, the Sandy Hook team, Gabby Giffords and LGBTQ leaders committed to common sense gun control?  With Sanders set to endorse Clinton and social chaos and violence exploding across the US, has the time come when we can be "wise as serpents and gentle as doves?" 

Many thanks.

We are off to celebrate, play and chill today:  many, many thanks to my friends and colleagues who sent me birthday blessings while we're away in Ottawa. Here's today's birthday song for this old Beatles' head... 

taking a break...

I am going on a writing break for the next two weeks on this blog:  it is vacation time in the North

Land and we're going to take it slow.  So, we'll see what's shakin' after the middle of July, ok? In the meantime I will be wandering around Ottawa, doing house repairs with my honey, visiting my grandson and family and continuing to discern what form my emerging "spirituality of tenderness" book will take. I've completed a rough introduction and gotten a sense of chapter one. My hunch is that subsequent chapters will include: 1) an appreciation of Jean Vanier and Henri Nouwen; 2) an equally important appreciation of Wendy Farley and Richard Rohr; and 3) my own retranslation of seven practices to enrich a spirituality of tenderness for a non-religious era.  

So I'll be reading lots of Nouwen and Vanier over the next few weeks as well as Barry and Connolly's text on The Practice of Spiritual Direction. Later in the summer I need to spend time with seven key biblical texts, too. So, for the time being, be well, get some rest and enjoy the beauty even in the midst of the harshness of these trying times.

confirmation day 2016...

NOTE:  Here are my worship notes from this morning when we said farewell to a beloved staff member, Mark, and welcomed five young people into membership through the Rite of Confirmation as well as a talented and gifted musician who came into membership, too. It was a full and rich liturgy and my heart rejoices. And now it is time to step away for a break. Thanks be to God.

Introduction

This is an important Sunday for me because, in all likelihood, you are one of the last classes I

will have the privilege and responsibility of teaching something about the way of Christ to in my ministry.  I’m getting near the end of my run, right? So while I’m not finished serving the Lord quite yet – and this congregation is not done with ministry either – things are definitely in flux.

+  I’m getting older, fewer and fewer people are interested in the disciplined ways of Jesus Christ in our culture, you are getting busier and busier, the demands on your families are increasing rather than getting easier. And, we as a congregation are starting to rethink what does the Lord require of us at this moment in time? It is an exciting and potentially holy time for all of us.

+ So, because I have come to love and respect each of you over the course of our time together, I’ve chosen what I consider to be the four most important passages from Scripture to talk about with you today, knowing full well that after the summer our paths will not cross very often.  I feel a unique responsibility to you and your families – and to the whole Body of Christ we know as the Church – to give you one more clear message about why all this church stuff matters.

Since the start of the new year we’ve talked about the Apostle’s Creed – the oldest poem about belief in our tradition – the gospel of Luke – the New Testament book with the most parables of Jesus – we’ve memorized the 23 Psalm – the best loved song in the Scriptures – and shared a few conversations about how confirmation is like a bar or bat mitzvah.  Someone asked me not too long ago:  is this year’s confirmation class READY to become members? Do they know what is required of them and how to do so responsibly?  And I have to tell you that all I could do was laugh, because the answer is NO – of course we’re not READY in a traditional, testing, let’s get all the right answers sense – but that would be true for ALL of us here.  Who is ever really ready to say:  Ok, Lord, NOW I’m all set to be your disciple? I get what grace is all about – I comprehend the mystery of the Cross – and I am fully prepared to die to myself so that I might live completely as a living sacrifice for you in the world!  None of us – now or in the past – are ever really READY.

Insights

But we ARE ready to take another step on the journey of becoming disciples – we ARE prepared (as much as we can comprehend right now) to say YES to following Jesus on the path of life– and we ARE aware that we do this by faith not sight. We trust God more than we understand God. We accept that now we see as through a glass darkly, later we shall see face to face.  Confirmation in the 21^st century, you see, is NOT about facts and information; it is about relationships, especially relationships built upon faith, hope and love.  So, I can’t tell you that these young people KNOW what it means to become a Christian. All I can say is that we’ve spent some time getting to know one another:  they’ve read and talked about the gospel according to St. Luke with their mentors and we’ve answered a few of one another’s questions trusting that that is sufficient for right now. But I do have one final lesson for this confirmation group and I predict it will take the rest of your lives to make it real, ok?

The first passage I want you to know about is Micah 6: 6-8.  Micah was a prophet in ancient Israel – so that would put him in the Old Testament – and he told his people that the heart of faithful living involved three essential commitments:  do justice, love compassion and walk through this world with humility.  Let me explain because you’re not going to get this anyplace else in your young lives:

+ Micah wants us to know that God expects us to live in ways that look like God to others. That means our words, actions, habits and worship are not to be shared as chore or a drag, but a joy.  God doesn’t love us grudgingly or because somebody made Her love us:  God loves us for the joy of it. So Micah tells us that the way we live should be equally joyful – and the best way to experience joy is to make life more joyful for other.  This is something that we don’t know how to do that very well all by ourselves. We need guidance and practice, we need encouragement and accountability – and we need a safe place to ask questions, make mistakes, be forgiven and discover what the real purpose of life is all about.

+ Some of you have wondered why you have to go to church on a regular basis, right? I’m really glad you felt safe enough and loved enough to ask that question so boldly.  And while we’ve tried to give you some answers, I realized that I never told you the real deal, so let me be clear:  you have to go to church regularly because you don’t already know everything there is to know – and you are a kid – not an adult. That’s the real reason: you are not yet in charge of your life.  You are part of a family – and you are part of a community – and families and communities have rules to help us live life as God desires.

Church is where we practice and remember what the Lord requires of us – and that means you

are required to go because you aren’t going to hear these truths any other place. You aren’t going to hear about doing justice according to God’s love when you get a job – or take a part in a dance or theatre group – because in that world you have to compete to be the best.  In that world the emphasis is on getting what you want. And while there’s nothing wrong with competition – it isn’t the only truth in creation – and it isn’t how God loves us. God doesn’t love us based upon how big our house is or how much money we’ve gathered or how important people think we are.  And if all you learn as a child is about getting your own way and operating according to the rules of competition, you will grow into a selfish, greedy adult – and there are already too many of them.

So, you come here to discover that God’s justice is about making sure everyone has a fair chance.  To do justice – mishpat in Hebrew – is a verb that means living in ways that make certain food, love, housing, hope and health are shared among ALL people. Not just those you know and like, but all people, the winners and the losers, the ones who deserve and those who don’t.  You come here also to learn about compassion – hesed in Hebrew – caring for those closest to you with tenderness rather than selfishness and going beyond your comfort zone with those you don’t know.  And you come here to practice humility – tsana in Hebrew – living like you don’t deserve anything more than anyone else.

That’s one reason you are required to come to church regularly:  to learn how to become a generous, tender and honest person, you need help. You won’t and can’t figure it out all by yourself.  So we ask:  what does the Lord require? And the answer is mishpat – doing justice so that everyone shares – hesed – sharing compassion to those most in need – and tsana – nourishing humility so you don’[t become an aggressive, loud mouthed bully. And if you are really paying attention, really on the ball, you’ll notice that the words from the ancient prophet Micah shape the mission statement of this church:  In community with God and each other, we gather to worship, reflect on our Christian faith, do just and share compassion. That’s one reason why you are required to come.

The second reason we gather together as church is to practice using our bodies and minds in ways that makes God’s love real to other people.  Over the past six months, I have gotten to know some of your specialties – a few of the things that make you different, unique and wonderful – for example: Cate is a dancer, Aidan is an athlete, Colin is a runner, Max is a thespian and Ella is a deep thinker. Each one of you is an excellent student, too.  I know, I talk to your parents – I see your pictures posted on Facebook – I pray for you almost every day in my quiet time at home.  So I know that you bring your best to your favorite activities. You know how to use your bodies to practice dance and theatre, soccer and running, learning your lines and singing or playing great music. 

What St. Paul is telling us in Romans is that to become a full human being you have to learn how to do the same thing with your physical bodies for God that you already do in preparation for a recital or a game or a concert or a play. In church you learn how to use your body as a servant – you feed the hungry, you carry the babies when they cry, you help the old people not slip on the ice, you sing Christmas carols for our friends in nursing homes, you write letters to congress to help them become more loving, you serve as liturgist, you bring food to someone who is sick and you help the homeless find shelter. 

And once you learn how to use your bodies being loving here, Paul says, then you do it out there:  you present your physical bodies – as well as your words and thoughts and habits and work – to the world as a living sacrifice – an offering – just like the prophet Micah told us.  Your life, you see, becomes a gift to God in the world that makes love and hope and justice and compassion visible. Now this is where Paul is blunt – and he doesn’t care if he hurts our feelings or asks us to do something hard – when he says that we aren’t going to learn how to train our bodies for compassion and justice just doing what we want to:  you didn’t learn ballet all by yourself or overnight – you didn’t learn to kick a soccer ball without practice – or sing or play the trumpet or run cross country like a champ just because you thought about it.  It took practice – and the more you practiced, the better you got at doing it well.

So Paul, who was one of the earliest Christians, tells us if we REALLY want a world that matters, a world that strengthens love and creates hope for all kinds of people, then we cannot be conformed to habits of competition only – we must learn how to let go of some of our selfishness through practicing acts of service to others. That’s the second reason why you are required to come to church regularly:  so that you practice becoming a holy non-conformist – who values love and tenderness more than winning. Here’s what I want you to do, Paul writes to us from prison: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking… because that will drag you down into everlasting immaturity. But grow up so that God brings out the best in you.

And the third reason you are required to get out of bed on Sunday mornings and drag your

tired, young body to church when you’d rather stay asleep is this:  you are not going to learn how to be still and quiet – you are not going to learn the way of prayer and trust – any other place in creation but here. It doesn’t happen at the Mall. Or at Ramblewild. Or plugged into your Smartphone. The words of Jesus are clear: come to me that is follow me and I will show you how to be refreshed without being worn out.  Did you hear how that word practice popped up again?  Practice being quiet, practice being gentle with yourself, practice listening for what you love the most, practice being a servant to others. Practice even being humble like the prophet Micah taught – and the more you practice, the more inner rest, peace and refreshment will become yours – from the inside out.

·    One of the hardest realities for me this year in our confirmation class was not the tough questions you came up with – I loved those – no, it was trying to find enough time in your schedules to get to know you.  You are a busy bunch of kids and we were rarely able to all be together at the same time. I think that it happened maybe… once?

·     So, I was able to share with you information – and talk with you one-on-one sometimes – but we never got to spend time together as a group.  And that made me sad because there are things to learn about the Lord that you can only do in a group.  Like practice being still and silent in community. We can’t change what was but that was something we gave up this year because life was just too full.

Conclusion

We do confirmation class – we come to church regularly – we take time in our personal lives for prayer to practice, to learn, to serve, to worship and to see that there is more to real life than just ourselves and what makes us happy. We practice being a community. We practice being silent. We practice listening to the Lord and singing songs of worship and love. We practice being young and old together – mentors and confirmands together – beginners and old-timers together. We live in an incredibly segregated world, but church shows us that it is possible to break down barriers and live into God’s justice and compassion through humility.  And now, because you are likely to be the last confirmation class on my watch, I want to be very, very personal for a moment.

Ella – I have come to value your quiet honesty so very much. You weren’t always able to be with us in the group for a variety of reasons. You lead a complicated life and you hold a lot inside. When you were able to join us, I was touched by how deeply you think about life and how deeply you feel things.  You are wise beyond your years and I pray that you continue to nourish the path of wisdom in your life.  You could be a great and tender teacher – and the world needs more wise souls like you. In your own way you call to my mind the words written about the mother of Jesus, Mary, who is often described as “quietly holding all things within and pondering them in her heart.” Stay strong and open, Ella, you have blessings to share.

Colin – I love the passion with which you grab a hold of life.  You throw yourself into the things you love wildly and enthusiastically whether that’s running or memorizing lines in the Christmas pageant. In this, you remind me of St. Peter, whom Jesus gave the nick name, the Rock. Now there’s an upside and a downside to being a rock:  a rock is solid and strong and creates a solid foundation; a rock can also become a bolder running down a hill that gets out of control. Jesus spoke about this to Peter often and by the end of Peter’s life he had learned to use being a rock for love and beauty and healing. That is my prayer for you, too.

Cate – you were one of the first children I met when we visited from Arizona – and you were so little and funny.  I remember eating hamburgers with your family at your old house and watching you get some kind of baseball bat thing going with your father – and all I could do was laugh because you kept spinning around and round trying to hit the ball that you looked like a little, female gyroscope. And now you are poised and graceful, a careful thinker who takes her responsibilities seriously even as you dedicate yourself to dance.  My prayer for you is that you come to know how important sharing your art is with the world. The philosophers say that beauty can save the world – it wakes us up and lets us see new possibilities – and you could become like the woman who anointed Christ’s feet with oil. That act, like dance, is extravagant; so shine on and shine brightly because the world came to say of this woman:  she did something beautiful for the Lord.

Aidan – my man!  We’ve been in this thing together for a long time!  When I first met you, you were about seven inches tall and had more energy in that little body than half the town of Pittsfield. When you loved something, you were totally into it and when you hated it…. Well you weren’t shy about sharing that either! And now you are a young man whom others look up to, a student who thinks deep thoughts and an athlete playing soccer all over New England.  I could be wrong but I think you have the soul and spirit of a poet, little brother, and I mean that: a poet. So let me encourage you like St. Paul encouraged his younger friend, Timothy, to cultivate your strength but never forget how to be tender, too. God needs both from you – and you have been blessed with both in abundance.

And Maxx – young man of incredible depth, big and sensitive feelings and an even bigger heart.  When I heard you sing “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” I went home with tears of joy.  You have blossomed so much as an artist, a musician, a disciple of Jesus and a joyful member of this congregation. You can light up the room, dude, when you want to.  My prayer for you is that as you explore your art deeper – your singing as well as your acting and performance on your instruments – that you know you are living into a sacred calling. Not everyone can bring joy to the world, not every can carry a tune, not everyone feels as deeply as you do.  I remember one time being out on Park Square with you collecting funds for the CROP Walk with John and Lauryn and your parents and brother and I thought:  this guy is St. Francis – he loves everything – and feels everything.  So I want to thank you for sharing some of yourself with us and tell you I can’t wait to see where the Lord takes you on your journey of faith.

People of God, this is a quirky bunch of confirmation kids – quirky and holy – and that makes sense because we are a quirky church and faith community.  Our quirkiness is a sacred gift – our smallness allows us the space and time to build trust and love as we get to know one another as Christ’s disciples – and it also stands as a tender symbol of sacred nonconformity in a world that insists that bigger is better. We know differently – and I give thanks to God for that knowledge. So, as we get ready to confirm this quirky confirmation class, I pray that you give thanks to the Lord, too for God has brought us together for precisely this moment in time. We are on holy ground, beloved, let us cherish and honor it with all our hearts.